Wall construction



Sept. 16, 1958 G. w. BAKER .2,851,740

WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed April 15. 195s IN VEN TOR.

2,851,740 Patented Sept..16, 1958 WALL CONSTRUCTION George W. Baker,Chicago Heights, Ill., assigner to United States Gypsum Company,Chicago, ill., a corporation of Illinois Application April 1S, 1953,Serial No. 349,067

1 Claim. (Cl. Ztl-4) This invention relates toV a wall construction andmore particularly to a clip for securing or anchoring wallboard panelsto a wire type support.

Various clips of this type have heretofore been proposed, but none ofthem are particularly suited for use with wire type supports. By wiretype support is meant one formed of pairs of elongated wire rods; one ofsaid pairs being spaced from and in parallel relation with the other.The spaced pairs are normally interconnected with respect to one anotherby a tortuous web rod extending therebetween. Because of theconstruction of a stud of this type, nails or screws -are not adaptedfor use therewith.

Thus, it is one of the objects of this invention to provide a clip whichis readily adapted for use with supports of the wire type.

' It is a further object of this invention to provide a clip foranchoring wallboard panels to a wire type support wherein the clip isconcealed from view when the panels are in place.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a clip whichmay be readily used by one not possessed of any unique or particularskill for anchoring panels to a wire type support.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a wallconstruction which is simple and inexpensive to erect, and is possessedof highly desired structural characteristics.

Further and additional objects will appear from the description,accompanying drawings, and appended claims.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a clip is providedfor use in anchoring a plurality of offset edge wallboard panelsarranged in abutting, coplanar edgeto-edge relation to a support, saidclip comprising a center section which is adapted to be disposed withina joint formed intermediate abutting panels. Formed at one edge of thecenter section and extending angularly in one direction therefrom is anger which is adapted to penetrate the edge of one of the abuttingpanels. Spaced from the nger and extending angularly from the centersection is a head section having a portion thereof extending from saidcenter section in substantially the same direction as said finger forresilient engagement with the support against which the panels rest. Asecond portion of the head section extends angularly from the oppositeside of the center section and is adapted to resiliently engage the backsurface of one of the abutting panels whose edge is not penetrated bythe finger of the clip.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference shouldnow be made to the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the improved wallconstruction;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2-2 ofFig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the improved clip, shown inthe wall construction of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a back elevational View of the improved clip;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the abutting edge ofthe panel which is penetrated by the clip; and

Fig. 6v is an enlarged side elevational view of the clip,

alone.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. l, animproved wall construction is shown comprising a wire type support 1t),a plurality of wallboard panels 11a and 11b arranged' in abuttingedge-to-edge re-v lation to form a pair of substantially parallelcourses A and B disposed on opposite sides of ythe support 10, a clip 12for securing the panels of a course to the support and a runner i3 inwhich the end of the support nests.

The support 10 in this instance is shown to be of a wire typeconstruction comprising two pairs of elongated wire rods 14 and 15arranged in upright, spaced substantially parallel relation with respectto one another. The pairs of wire rods or chords 14 and 15 are held inspaced relation with respect to one another by a tortuous web rodV ormember 16 which is adapted to have a portion thereof secured by weldingor any other suitable means to each of the pairs of wire chords 14 and1S. The bottom and top (the latter not shown) of the support 10 areadapted to nest between the flanges 17 formed on the oor and ceilingrunners 13, only the former being shown. The anges 17 of the runner 13,as seen more clearly in Fig. l, converge a slight amount so that thespace between the corresponding outer edges thereof is less than thecro-ss width of or the spacing between correspondingA points on thepairs of wire chords of the support 10. Thus, when mounting orpositioning the support 10 within the runner 13, the support is rstpositioned approximately 45 in either direction from that shown in Fig.'1 thereby enabling the end of the support to be inserted between theconvergent flanges 17. Once the support end has been inserted betweenthe anges, the support 10 is twisted to the position shown therebycausing the flanges, which are resilient, to move outwardly to asubstantially parallel relation. Thus the end of the support 10 ispositively gripped between the flanges 17 and assumes a substantiallyxed relation with respect thereto and does not require any furthersecuring of the support to the runner.

T he wallboard panels as shown more clearly in and 5, in this instance,have a gypsum core and are of a laminated construction wherein thelaminations 18 and 13 thereof are cemented or glued together in anoffset relation with respect to one another to form a shiplap type edge.The exposed abutting edges of the panels, in this instance, are beveled,as shown in Fig. 2. The V-shaped joint which is formed by the abuttingbeveled edges is subsequently filled with a ller material,- therebycausingv the exposed surface of the course of panels to have a smoothplanar appearance. The abutting edge of one of the panes, namely, 11a,as seen in Figs. -2 and 5, is provided with a recess or slot Ztl formedin the edge thereof between the laminations 18 and 18 for receiving aportio-n of the clip 12 to be hereinafter described. When the panels arepositioned relative to one another to form a course, it is to be notedthat the rearwardly protruding portion of the lamination 18 o formedinthe trailing edge of panel 11b, is disposed behind the forwardlyprotruding portion of lamination 18, formed in the leading edge of panel11a, see Fig. 2. It is to be noted that the recess 2t) is formed in theedge of the panel, wherein the forwardly protruding edge of the exposedlamination 18 overlies the rearwardly protruding edge of the concealedlamination 18. While the wallboard panels are shown in this instance tobe of laminated construction, it is to be understood, of course, thatany typel of wallboard having a shiplap edge may be utilized.

Ilie.clip-12,.as.seen.more clearly in Fig. 3,' is formed of.. sheet,metal material and comprises a center section 21 which is adapted to bedisposed within the joint formed between the abutting panels 11a and11b. Extending angularlywfromonetedge;ofcenter section 21. is a curvedresilientlngerrZZihaving a pointed end 23` which is adapted to beinserted within the recess 20 of panel 11a when theiwallisrbeingerected. The curvature of the` finger 22 facilitates insertion of thepointed end 23 within-the recessi20.' By reason ofn the resiliency ofiinger'22, the latter'assumesfa relatively straight position, see Fig.2, oncef-ithas been inserted to its fullest extent within the recess20.Thefsizeof the recesst20 is substantially the samebasxlthe; thickness ofmaterial of the finger 22. In instancesghowever, where no recessV 20 isformed in the abut-ting*edge'V of oneofY the panels, the finger 22 maybe readilycaused to penetrate theabutting edge ofthe panel by'reason ofthe fact that it has a pointed end 23. Formed. on the opposite edge ofcenter section 21 is a head. section24 having portions 24a and 24barranged in' stepped relation with respect to one another. The centerand finger portions 21 and 22 of the clip in this instance'y are struckout from the portion 24a of head section 24,- as -seen more clearly inFig. 3, thereby resultingin theportion 24a comprising a pair of spacedparallel'resilient-strips 25. The corresponding outer edge of ea'chstrip 25 is offset in a direction toward linger 23 to form-Ja bead 26.The bead 26 is spaced from the center -section 21 a distancesubstantially the same as the width'of a pair of the wire chords 14 or15 of the support 10 as seen more clearly in Fig. 2, so that, when theclipfis mounted on the support, portion 24a will snap into interlockingrelation with the adjacent pair of Wire chords'l 14- or 15. The otherstepped portion 24h of head section 24 has the outer edge thereof offsetin substantiallythe same direction as bead 26 to form a bead 27 which,when the clip is in place, is adapted to yieldably engage thel backsurface 28 of the abutting panel 11b, which panel has the adjacentedge'thereof not penetrated bythe tinger 23 of the clip.

While-the clip, as shown in the drawing, incorporates a head section 24having portions 24a and 2419 thereof in stepped relation, it is to beunderstood, of course, that the portions 24a and 24b may be in coplanarrelation without departing from the scope of the invention and that bead27 formed on portion 24b may extend a greater distance than bead 26 soas to compensate for th'e'stepped relation.

In; attaching the clip to the support 10, the applicatorii'rstipositions panel 11a. against the wire chords 14 or 15 of thesupport 10. It is assumed, of course, that the support'.` 10-l1asalready been positioned on the runner 13 in .a' manner, as heretoforedescribed. It is important that the leading edge of lamination 18 ofpanel 11a terminate at a .point with respect to the support, as seen inFig/.2.. Thetpointed edge 23 of the clip is then brought into alignmentwith the opening of the recess 20 and the bead..26 ofstrips abuts theright hand wire chord oftthespair-of chords 14 of the support 10. Theclip is then moved to the left causing the strips 25 of the cliptolslipover `and in back of the chords 14 and simultaneously `therewiththe nger 22 is moved into the recess 2t).

While the clip 12 is shown used in combination with a. wireitypesupport,it is to be understood, of course, that another type of support may beused which is provided with a part thereof over which theresilientstrips 25 of the clipM may snap into interlockingV relationtherewith.

Thus it will be seen that when the clip is in place it is completelyconcealed from the exposed surface of each of the courses A and B. Theimproved construction is simple and inexpensive toerect and is possessedof highly desired structural characteristics. Furthermore, the clip isadapted primarily: for useiwith supports or studs 10 which are of thewire type construction.

While a particular' embodiment of this inventionv is shown above, itwill be understood, of course, thatthe invention is not to be limitedthereto, since many modications may be made, andit iscontemplated,therefore, by the appended claims, tocover any such modications as fallwithin the true spirit andscope of this invention.

I claim:

A wall construction comprising, a plurality of wall panels having offsetedge portions arranged -in abutting coplanar edge-to-edge relationshipto form a course of panels with joints therebetween; an upright studdisposed adjacent an interior surface of said course in close proximityto a joint, said stud -abutting the interior surface of one of thejoint-forming panels having a portion of the abutting edge thereofexteriorly overlapping an-interior portion ofthe abutting edge ofthefother joint forming panel, and a clip for securing said overlappingedges together and for securing said stud to said interior surface; saidclip comprising a substantially at, thin center section inserted in theportion of the joint formed by the abutting panels and behind saidexterior portion, a resilient fingery extending transversely from saidcenter sectio-n and penetrating-the joint-forming edge of said abuttingpanel having the exterior overlapping portion, and a head sectionformedfon the interior edge of said entersection, said head sectionincluding a resilient first portion spaced from said finger andextending trans'- versely from said center section in substantially thesame direction as said nger, the distal end of said iirstl portion beingoffset toward said finger whereby said distal end and said first portioncooperate withsaid interior surface of the panel to form a pocket inwhich said stud is resilientlyheld in snapein interlocking relationship,and -a second portion of said head portion disposed in steppedrelationship with respect to said first portion and extendingtransversely from said center section in a direction opposite from thatof said rst portion and yieldingly contacting the interior surface ofsaid adjacent panel, said `second portion resiliently urging theinterior portion of saidl adjacent panel into'positive engagement withsaid exterior portion, said head comprising a relatively rigid memberwith said center section as a central support whereby the resilientengagement of said second portion withsaid adjacent panel effects theresilient engagement of said rst portion with saidstud against saidinterior surface.

ReferencesCited 'in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,974,819 Koerner Sept. 25, 1934 2,056,328 Price Oct. 6, 1936 2,271,472Balduf Jan. 27, 1942 2,317,428 Anderson Apr. 27, 1943

